Kerry Nicholson Email and Phone Number

In Immigration Litigation, I managed a personal case load of around 40 judicial review applications. I also supported senior lawyers on cases of a variety of issues from statutory appeals to country guidance, legal challenges to the stop and question powers of Immigration Officers at airports, and investigations into corrupt solicitors in foreign countries.On secondment to Henderson Chambers, I worked on a range of public and private law. This included drafting written advice on the release of a co-guarantor, the operation of an exclusion clause on implied misrepresentation, and on challenging the refusal to pay an occupational pension to a surviving co-habiting partner.

I developed and implemented The Law Society’s policies on pro bono and public legal education, negotiating proposals through committees of senior solicitors with diverging professional backgrounds and priorities.I worked with solicitors to deliver practical solutions to challenges, such as the legal professions’ response to unexpected major incidents like terrorist attacks or Grenfell. I represented The Law Society to external stakeholders, including membership on the Attorney General’s Pro Bono Panel, the Solicitor General’s Public Legal Education Committee, providing recommendations on how to improve the reach and efficiency of pro bono, and how to tackle the most pressing needs in public legal education.I worked with fellow policy advisers to tackle cross cutting issues such as the public legal education challenges arising from the HMCTS Court Reform Programme, and how to use technology to increase the impact and reach of pro bono work without excluding the most vulnerable.

I provided written submissions on UK and EU policy initiatives and regulatory and legislative proposals that impacted the news media. This often focused on protecting journalists’ sources in counter-terror measures and police investigations, and protecting the commercial interests of traditional news media as online platforms and social media influence grew.I drafted legal briefings for member newspaper publishers on developing areas such as data protection and consumer rights, and the relationship between contempt of court and social media, and the public law implications of the use of Police Harassment Notices against journalists.I provided legal advice to local newspapers and journalists both pre and post publication, on matters ranging from contempt of court, election law and defamation to freedom of information appeals in the Upper Tier Tribunal and breach of contract with advertisers.I also advised on ongoing legal matters within the NMA, including preparing for a judicial review against the Press Recognition Panel, and ensuring the NMA was ready for GDPR.

I worked closely with a small team of defence lawyers on capital punishment trials and appeals. I interviewed witnesses, attended conferences with clients, assisted with drafting clemency petitions, conducted research and drafted comprehensive reports on legal and non-legal matters.

I conducted in-depth research and analysis, and presented this, along with recommendations, to senior staff. For example, when the horsemeat scandal was unfolding, I researched and monitored the reactions of the implicated parties, how the public responded, and created a comprehensive report for a client that faced exposure.I drafted press releases and blog posts, on issues ranging from announcements on supply chain changes to sugar, salt and fat content. I developed and wrote a handbook for new staff that consolidated a vast amount of information that, until then, had to be learnt ad hoc.